AbstractSamples taken during deuteration of methyl linoleate with the title catalysts were separated into saturate, monoene and diene fractions. Monoenes were further separated intocis andtrans fractions. A comparison of the double bond distribution in monoenes with those from hydrogenation of alkaliconjugated linoleate indicated that up to 59% of the linoleate was reduced through a conjugated intermediate with nickel catalyst. The respective percentages for palladium and platinum catalysts were 51 and 23. Copper catalysts have previously been shown to reduce linoleate solely through conjugated intermediates. Copper‐chromite catalyst showed infinite selectivity for the reduction of linoleate, because stearate did not form. The decreasing order of various catalysts for the selective reduction was copper‐chromite>>>Ni at 195 C>Pd>Ni at 100 C>Pt. Computer simulation of platinum reduction indicated that ca. 20% of the linoleate was directly reduced to stearate through a shunt. Geometrical isomers of linoleate were formed during reduction with all catalysts except copper‐chromite. Nickel catalyst formed bothtrans,trans‐ andcis,trans‐isomers, as well as nonconjugatable dienes. These isomers were favored at the higher temperature and deuterium was incorporated into them. Palladium and platinum did not isomerize linoleate to nonconjugatable dienes. Because conjugated dienes are more reactive than linoleate, they were not found in appreciable amounts during reduction. Conjugated dienes were the only isomers formed with copper‐chromite catalyst. Deuterium was found in these conjugated dienes, which were also extensively isomerized. As a result of isomerization and exchange during reduction of linoleate‐as well as further exchange between deuterium and monoenes‐a wide distribution of isotopic isomers in monoenes was found with nickel, palladium and platinum catalysts. Since isomerization of monoenes with copper‐chromite is negligible, the isotopic distribution of monoenes must be due to exchange of intermediate conjugated dienes followed by addition.